Pocketed ball game

ABSTRACT

The game includes a flat substrate having a spiral track for a propelled ball adapted to contact a score ball and cause the latter to move along said track to a position where a score may be indicated.

United States Patent 11 1 Haines, Jr.

POCKETED BALL GAME [73] Assignee: Fairview Development Service,

Inc., Forked River, N. ,l [22 Filed: July 6, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 159,908

[52} s. or. 273/123 R, 273/010. 5 [51] Int. Cl. A631 7/14 [58] Field of Search 273/118 R, 118 A, 273/118 D, 119 R, 119 A, 119 B, 123 A, 86 D, 105 A, 83, DIG. 5, 112

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 560,305 5/1896 Sharp 273/112 2,230,064 1 1941 MacDougall et a1. 3,552,750 l/1971 Lomberk et a1. 273/112 1,337,773 4/1920 Ireland 273/120 R X 2,657,056 10/1953 3,215,436 11/1965 2,684,849 7/1954 1111 3,773,324 1451 'Nov. 20, 1973 Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner-Amold W. Kramer Attorney-Arthur H. Seidel et al.

{57] ABSTRACT The game includes a flat substrate having a spiral track for a propelled ball adapted to contact a score ball and cause the latter to move along said track to a position where a score may be indicated.

6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures POCKETED BALL GAME This invention relates to a game, and more particularly to a spiral pool game utilizing a cue ball and one or more score balls. The cue ball is adapted to be propelled along a spiral track until it contacts the score ball and propels the latter to a position along the track wherein a score may be indicated.

The spiral track includes a barrier which prevents the cue ball from passing therebeyond. However, the barrier does not interfere with the ability of the cue ball to contact the score ball. The barrier may be selectively positioned along the track. The game involves a certain amount of skill whereby the score ball will be propelled with the proper amount of momentum so as to stop at a score position as opposed to a non-score position.

In addition to a cue ball and a score ball, the game of the present invention can utilize an intermediate ball between the cue ball and the barrier. Further, more than one barrier may be utilized so that the intermediate ball has only a limited amount of travel, namely the distance between the barriers. The utilization of a third or intermediate ball in either of these alternative embodiments further refines the skill needed to cause the score ball to terminate its movement at a score position.

The game of the present invention is simple and inexpensive to construct. The only moving parts are the balls and the propelling means which may be a conventional pool cue. The game may be made in various sizes. Due to its simplicity and the skill needed to play the game, it would appeal to players of all ages.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel game.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a game utilizing at least two balls limited for movement along a portion of a spiral track.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a spiral pool game which is simple, inexpensive to construct, and appeals to players of all ages.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawings a form which is presently preferred; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the game of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 in FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawing in detail, wherein like numerals indicate like elements, there is shown a game in accordance with the present invention designated generally as 10. The game includes a flat substrate 12 having a spiral track. The spiral track has a straight portion 14 which is contiguous with curved portions sequentially identified by the numerals 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28 and 30.

The portion 14 constitutes a start position on the track. The portion 30 constitutes a score position on the track. Except for portion 14 on the track and the outer peripheral surface of portions 16 and 18, the track is defined by a spiral wall 32 whose upper surface is flush with the upper surface of the substrate 12. Substrate 12 may be made from wood, plastic, or any other convenient material. The track need not be recessed in the substrate 12 but may be on or secured to the upper surface thereof. If desired, the length of the wall 32 could be extended'to definethe entire length of the track.

The wall 32 is lined on both sides with a liner 34. Liner 34 is preferably a thin layer of a polymeric plastic such as polyvinyl chloride which may have a color contrast with the color of the substrate 121 As will be apparent from FIGS. 2-4, the liner 34 has'a height corresponding to the height of the wall '32. The surface of the substrate 12 defining the outer peripheral wall portion of track portions 16 and 18 are likewise provided with a liner 34 as will be apparent from FIG. 2. Liner 34 may be replaced when worn out. Liner 34 absorbs the wear by the movement of balls to be explained hereinafter.

The start position along the portion 14 of the track is identified by a marker 36 which can assume a wide variety of configurations such as arrowheads, a painted line, words, etc. A cue ball 40 may be propelled from the start position by a propelling means such as a pool cue 38. The propelling means may be a plunger device physically supported by the substrate 12 if desired.

An intermediate ball 42 may be positioned along the spiral track as illustrated in FIG. 1. Alternative positions for the intermediate ball 42 are illustrated in phantom. A score ball 44 is positioned at portion 26 or between portion 26 and portion 28 of the track. The score ball 44 is limited to movement along that portion of the track defined by the score position 30 to the barrier means 46. Each ball has a diameter greater than the height of the track.

The barrier means 46 is a constriction in the track. Barrier means 46 may be located at portion 26 or along the length of the track between portions 26 and 28. Barrier means 46 is a constriction which does not interfere with the ability of ball 40 or ball 42 engaging ball 44 and propelling the latter from the barrier means 46 to the score portion 30 of the track.

As shown more clearly in FIG. 4, the barrier means 46 may be a circular pin extending into a blind hole 48 in the substrate 12. Alternate holes for the pin 46 are illustrated in FIG. 1 and designated as 50.

In the score position of the track, there is provided three score positions 52 and one out-of-play position 54. Each of these positions is defined by a circular recess in the uppermost surface of the substrate 12 with the recess for the out-of-play position 54 being larger than the others. The outof-play position 54 is a no score position. Instead of being blind holes, the score and no score positions can be holes extending through the substrate 12. A different numerical figure may be painted on the substrate 12 adjacent the score positions 52. A greater or lesser number of score positions may be provided as desired.

The game 10 is played as follows.

The score ball 44 is positioned adjacent the barrier means 46 as shown in FIG. 1. The intermediate ball, if one is used, is positioned as shown in FIG. 1. The cue ball 40 is positioned at the marker 36.

The cue ball 40 is propelled by the pool cue 38 around the spiral track until it contacts the intermediate ball 42. This propels the intermediate ball 42 until it contacts the score ball 44. The intermediate ball 42 stops at the barrier means 46. Score ball 44 is propelled to the score portion of the track, namely track portion 30. The object is to cause the score ball to stop and come to rest at one of the score positions 52.

The numeral evaluation attributable to the score position 52 where the score ball 44 came to rest then constitutes the score for that player for that round. The next player repeats the same sequence of events and makes a record of his score, if any. If the score ball 44 comes to rest at the out-of-play position 54, no score is obtained by that player for that round. After a predetermined number of rounds or the expiration of a predetermined amount of time, the scores of the players are added up and the player with the highest score is the winner.

If desired, the liner 34 may be eliminated. The entire game board may be made as a single piece. Thus, the

entire game board may be molded from plastic.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and, accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, rather than to the foregoing specification, as indicating the scope of the invention.

Iclaim:

l. A game comprising a spiral track lying in a horizontal plane, said track being flat with vertical wall means, said track having a start position substantially adjacent one end thereof and scoring position means substantially adjacent the other end thereof, first and second balls, barrier means on the track positioned and dimensioned, withrespect to the dimensions of the track and. balls such that said first ball propelled from said start position cannot pass the'barrier means but may contact the second ball positioned at and on the other side of the barrier means to thereby propel the second ball toward said scoring position means, with said second ball being limited to movement along the track between the barrier means and the scoring position means.

2. A game in accordance withclaiml including a third ball interposed on said track b'etween said' first ball and said barrier means so that said first ball propels the second ball by contact with the thirdball.

3. A game in accordance with claim 1 wherein said barrier means is a pin in said track, said pin being spaced from said'wall means to define a space having a transversedimension less than the dimension of the balls but greater than one-half the diameter of the balls. 4. A game in accordance with claim 3 wherein said pin is removable andlocatable at different positions along the track.

5. game in accordance with claim 1 including a means for propelling the firstball along the track from said start position.

6..A game in accordance with claim 1 wherein the traclc wall means is provided with a polymeric plastic liner. 

1. A game comprising a spiral track lying in a horizontal plane, said track being flat with vertical wall means, said track having a start position substantially adjacent one end thereof and scoring position means substantially adjacent the other end thereof, first and second balls, barrier means on the track positioned and dimensioned with respect to the dimensions of the track and balls such that said first ball propelled from said start position cannot pass the barrier means but may contact the second ball positioned at and on the other side of the barrier means to thereby propel the second ball toward said scoring position means, with said second ball being limited to movement along the track between the barrier means and the scoring position means.
 2. A game in accordance with claim 1 including a third ball interposed on said track between said first ball and said barrier means so that said first ball propels the second ball by contact with the third ball.
 3. A game in accordance with claim 1 wherein said barrier means is a pin in said track, said pin being spaced from said wall means to define a space having a transverse dimension less than the dimension of the balls but greater than one-half the diameter of the balls.
 4. A game in accordance with claim 3 wherein said pin is removable and locatable at different positions along the track.
 5. A game in accordance with claim 1 including a means for propelling the first ball along the track from said start position.
 6. A game in accordance with claim 1 wherein the track wall means is provided with a polymeric plastic liner. 